Number Of Indicators Research Articles

DNA barcodes provide insights into the diversity and biogeography of the non-biting midge Polypedilum (Diptera, Chironomidae) in South America.

South America, particularly within its tropical belt, is renowned for its unparalleled high levels of species richness, surpassing other major biomes. Certain neotropical areas harbor fragmented knowledge of insect diversity and face imminent threats from biodiversity loss and climate change. Hence, there is an urgent need for rapid estimation methods to complement slower traditional taxonomic approaches. A variety of algorithms for delimiting species through single-locus DNA barcodes have been developed and applied for rapid species diversity estimates across diverse taxa. However, tree-based and distance-based methods may yield different group assignments, leading to potential overestimation or underestimation of putative species. Here, we investigate the performance of different DNA-based species delimitation approaches to rapidly estimate the diversity of Polypedilum (Chironomidae, Diptera) in South America. Additionally, we test the hypothesis that significant differences exist in the community structure of Polypedilum fauna between South America and its neighboring regions, particularly the Nearctic. Our analysis encompasses a dataset of 1492 specimens from 598 locations worldwide, with a specific focus on South America. Within this region, we analyzed a subset of 247 specimens reported from 37 locations. Using various methods including the Barcode Index Number (BIN), Bayesian Poisson tree processes (bPTP), multi-rate Poisson tree processes (mPTP), single-rate Poisson tree processes (sPTP), and generalized mixed Yule coalescent (sGMYC), we identify molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) ranging from 267 to 520. Our results indicate that the sGMYC method is the most suitable for estimating putative species in our dataset, resulting in the identification of 75 species in the Neotropical region, particularly in South America. Notably, this region exhibited higher species richness in comparison to the Palearctic and Oriental realms. Additionally, our findings suggest potential differences in species composition of Polypedilum fauna between the Neotropical and the adjacent Nearctic realms, highlighting high levels of endemism and species richness in the first. These results support our hypothesis that there are substantial differences exist in species composition between the Polypedilum fauna in South America and the neighboring regions.

Effects of Cardiorespiratory Fitness on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Telomere Length by Age and Obesity.

This study investigates differences in telomere length according to obesity, cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, and fitness level in South Korean males. The subjects of this study were males in their 10s to 50s (n=249). We measured obesity indices, CVD risk factors, leukocyte telomere length (LTL), and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Correlation and regression analyses were performed to analyze the data. Measurement of participants' obesity indices, CVD risk factors, and maximum oxygen intake and analyzing their correlations with LTL revealed that LTL and CRF decreased with age and the levels and numbers of obesity indices and CVD risk factors increased. The LTL showed differences according to whether subjects exhibited obesity or dyslipidemia and by CRF level. When all the variables that influence the LTL were adjusted, the LTL became shorter as the age and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level increased, and it became longer as the maximum rate of oxygen utilization (VO2max) increased. When the age and CVD risk factors that influence the LTL were adjusted according to obesity and CRF for the obese group, the LTL became shorter as the age and LDL-C level increased (P<0.01), and it became longer as VO2max increased (P<0.01). We found that obesity influenced the LTL by increasing the levels of CVD risk factors and decreasing CRF, whereas maintaining high CRF could alleviate the effects of obesity and CVD risk factors according to age while maintaining and influencing the elongation of LTL.

Anatomical Characteristics of Rhizophora’s Leaves as Mangrove Plant Adaptation at Banyuurip Mangrove Center

Rhizophora is a genus of mangrove plants that dominates the Banyuurip Mangrove Center. This plant certainly has an anatomical structure as a form of adaptation to high salinity environments. The purpose of this study was to describe the anatomical characteristics of the leaves of the three Rhizophora species as an adaptation form of mangrove plants in the Banyuurip Mangrove Center and the anatomical variations of the leaves between species. This type of research was descriptive observational in the form of leaf anatomy observations using the whole mount method for longitudinal incisions and the paraffin method for transverse incisions. The results showed that there were anatomical variations among the three Rhizophora species in the Banyuurip Mangrove Center including epidermal cell size, number of epidermal cells, cork warts, number of hypodermis cell layers, hypodermis cell size, stomata size, number of stomata, stomata index, and stomata density. The anatomical characteristics of the leaves of the three Rhizophora species which act as a form of adaptation to mangrove plants are the presence of hypodermis tissue which functions to store water and salt to remove salt content in plants when they abort their leaves, low density of stomata and the presence of cuticles on the adaxial surface of leaves which play a role in reducing the rate of transpiration thus maintaining water to support plant development in saline conditions, cork warts which function as a medium for expelling salt on leaves.

Pengaruh Motivasi, Pelatihan dan Lingkungan Kerja Non Fisik Terhadap Kinerja Sales People pada Jaringan Dealer PT. Astra Honda Motor di Provinsi Nusa Tenggara Barat

Indonesia's economic growth is supported by several sectors, one of which is the manufacturing sector. The manufacturing sector contributed 16.77 percent to national economic growth in the first quarter of 2023. According to the 2022 business competition index in Indonesia, Indonesia's score is 4.87 on a scale of 7, which has increased from previous years. The increase in the business competition index number illustrates the company's need to be able to optimize its resources and increase company productivity. In a company, employee performance greatly affects the quality of the products and services produced. With the need to increase company productivity, employee performance improvement is also needed so that companies are able to maintain business existence and encourage better company progress. Companies that are able to encourage the performance of their employees tend to have better quality products and services. Therefore, companies must encourage the performance of their employees in order to compete with changing market conditions from time to time. This study aims to determine the effect of motivation, training and non-physical work environment on the performance of sales people at the dealer network of PT. Astra Honda Motor in the province of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). This research is a quantitative research with a sample of 90 sales people, the data collection method was carried out using an online questionnaire with a Google form. The analysis technique used in this study is multiple linear regression with hypothesis testing t-test and F-test. The results showed that motivation, training and the non-physical work environment had a partial and simultaneous positive effect on the performance of sales people at the dealer network of PT. Astra Honda Motor in the province of NTB.

Machine learning prediction models for different stages of non-small cell lung cancer based on tongue and tumor marker: a pilot study

ObjectiveTo analyze the tongue feature of NSCLC at different stages, as well as the correlation between tongue feature and tumor marker, and investigate the feasibility of establishing prediction models for NSCLC at different stages based on tongue feature and tumor marker.MethodsTongue images were collected from non-advanced NSCLC patients (n = 109) and advanced NSCLC patients (n = 110), analyzed the tongue images to obtain tongue feature, and analyzed the correlation between tongue feature and tumor marker in different stages of NSCLC. On this basis, six classifiers, decision tree, logistic regression, SVM, random forest, naive bayes, and neural network, were used to establish prediction models for different stages of NSCLC based on tongue feature and tumor marker.ResultsThere were statistically significant differences in tongue feature between the non-advanced and advanced NSCLC groups. In the advanced NSCLC group, the number of indexes with statistically significant correlations between tongue feature and tumor marker was significantly higher than in the non-advanced NSCLC group, and the correlations were stronger. Support Vector Machine (SVM), decision tree, and logistic regression among the machine learning methods performed poorly in models with different stages of NSCLC. Neural network, random forest and naive bayes had better classification efficiency for the data set of tongue feature and tumor marker and baseline. The models’ classification accuracies were 0.767 ± 0.081, 0.718 ± 0.062, and 0.688 ± 0.070, respectively, and the AUCs were 0.793 ± 0.086, 0.779 ± 0.075, and 0.771 ± 0.072, respectively.ConclusionsThere were statistically significant differences in tongue feature between different stages of NSCLC, with advanced NSCLC tongue feature being more closely correlated with tumor marker. Due to the limited information, single data sources including baseline, tongue feature, and tumor marker cannot be used to identify the different stages of NSCLC in this pilot study. In addition to the logistic regression method, other machine learning methods, based on tumor marker and baseline data sets, can effectively improve the differential diagnosis efficiency of different stages of NSCLC by adding tongue image data, which requires further verification based on large sample studies in the future.

The VANDELS ESO public spectroscopic survey: The spectroscopic measurements catalogue

VANDELS is a deep spectroscopic survey, performed with the VIMOS instrument at VLT, aimed at studying in detail the physical properties of high-redshift galaxies. VANDELS targeted ~2100 sources at 1 &lt; z &lt; 6.5 in the CANDELS Chandra Deep-Field South (CDFS) and Ultra-Deep Survey (UDS) fields. In this paper, we present the public release of the spectroscopic measurement catalogues from this survey, featuring emission and absorption line centroids, fluxes, and rest-frame equivalent widths obtained through a Gaussian fit, as well as a number of atomic and molecular indices (e.g. Lick) and continuum breaks (e.g. D4000), and including a correction to be applied to the error spectra. We describe the measurement methods and the validation of the codes that were used.

Kepuasan Konsumen Terhadap Objek Wisata Tuur Ma’asering Di Kelurahan Kumelembuai Kecamatan Tomohon Timur Kota Tomohon

This study aims to find out how consumer satisfaction with tourist attractions Tuur Ma’asering. This research was conducted from October 2022 to January 2023. The data used are primary data and secondary data. Primary data is obtained from direct interviews with 30 respondents using a questionnaire, while secondary data is obtained from business owners, the internet and other sources that are relevant to this research. The results showed that customer satisfaction at Tuur Ma’asering tourism in Kumelembuai Village, Tomohon Timur District, Tomohon City through the variables of product, price, place, promotion and service quality, achieved a total score of 1,521 which indicates a consumer satisfaction index number of 84.5% and belong to the very satisfied category. The four variables that have the highest level of customer satisfaction are product, service, place/location, price, with the percentages (92.88%), (90.00%), (90.77%), (82.88%) belonging to very satisfied category. While the lowest variable is promotion with a percentage of 63.33% which belongs to the satisfied category. This shows that consumers are generally satisfied with all variables on the Tuur Ma’asering tour.

Correlation of glymphatic system abnormalities with Parkinson's disease progression: a clinical study based on non-invasive fMRI.

The glymphatic system is reportedly involved in Parkinson's disease (PD). Based on previous studies, we aimed to confirm the correlation between the glymphatic system and PD progression by combining two imaging parameters, diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS), and enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS). Fifty-one PD patients and fifty healthy control (HC) were included. Based on the Hoehn-Yahr scale, the PD group was divided into early-stage and medium-to late-stage. All PD patients were scored using the Unified PD Rating Scale (UPDRS). We assessed the DTI-ALPS indices in the bilateral hemispheres and EPVS numbers in bilateral centrum semiovale (CSO), basal ganglia (BG), and midbrain. The DTI-ALPS indices were significantly lower bilaterally in PD patients than in the HC group, and EPVS numbers in any of the bilateral CSO, BG, and midbrain were significantly higher, especially for the medium- to late-stage group and the BG region. In PD patients, the DTI-ALPS index was significantly negatively correlated with age, while the BG-EPVS numbers were significantly positively correlated with age. Furthermore, the DTI-ALPS index was negatively correlated with UPDRS II and III scores, while the BG-EPVS numbers were positively correlated with UPDRS II and III scores. Similarly, the correlation was more pronounced in the medium- to late-stage group. The DTI-ALPS index and EPVS numbers (especially in the BG region) are closely related to age and PD progression and can serve as non-invasive assessments for glymphatic dysfunction and its interventions in clinical studies.

Molecular characterization of guava Psidium guajava in Cereté, Córdoba, Colombia

Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is the most cherished cultivated fruit species in the Myrtaceae family, and it is a perennial tree native to tropical America. The objective of this study was to determine the genetic variability of Psidium guajava in Cereté (Colombia) using SSR markers. DNA extraction was performed using the Mini-prep method with modifications. Nine microsatellites were amplified using the PCR Touchdown technique. Genetic-population parameters such as the number of alleles, effective number of alleles, observed heterozygosity, expected heterozygosity, fixation index, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, and polymorphic information content were calculated using PopGene 1.31 software. The number of alleles varied between 4 for markers mPgCIR13, mPgCIR20, mPgCIR23, and 8 for marker mPgCIR19, respectively. The average value of effective number of alleles was 3.722, observed heterozygosity was 0.217, and expected heterozygosity was 0.254. The average fixation index was 0.101. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium tests revealed significant differences in the markers. The FIS coefficient had an average value of 0.385, the FIT coefficient showed an average of 0.490, and the FST coefficient had a value of 0.178. Genetic distance analysis showed that Mateo Gómez was closely related to Retiro de los Indios, while Rabolargo appeared to be the most distant population. The study revealed low genetic variability within and between the populations studied, possibly, reflecting the type of asexual propagation applied in guava crops.

Insect diversity in heterogeneous agro-environments of Central Europe

AbstractInsect diversity has been decreasing significantly during the past decades. A main driver causing this negative trend is agricultural intensification, which causes habitat destruction and a deterioration of habitat quality. We caught flying arthropods with 28 Malaise traps and two light traps across a heterogeneous Central European agro-environment in southern Germany over a period of four years. The arthropods captured with Malaise traps were assigned to barcode index numbers (BINs) based on metabarcoding. Lepidopterans caught with light traps and light towers were identified based on morphological characters. Within the four years study, a total of 11,984 insect operational taxonomic units (OTUs) related to unique BINs on BOLD (&gt; 95% similarity) were recorded across this agro-environment. 7835 of them could be assigned to insect order and the vast majority of them represent different species. Different estimates of the total species richness ranged between 8188 and 11,512 OTUs (a proxy for species). This number corresponds to about 26–36% of the total German insect fauna. Light trapping also yielded a high species diversity and returned 502 Lepidoptera species (compared to 784 species captured with Malaise traps). The overlap between light and Malaise traps was less than 45%. The Malaise trap catches showed that insects are more diverse along forest edges than in the centre of meadows. Our findings underline the high value of heterogeneous agro-environments for biodiversity, and the high value when combining data collected with different sampling techniques.

Growth and yield performance of hybrid rice varieties under varying zinc levels

Zinc deficiency in soil is currently a widespread problem in Bangladesh that significantly reduces the yield of a variety of crops, including rice. Despite the fact that many farmers started applying zinc fertilizer, many are unaware of the right amount and application technique. For this reason, to determine the impact of variety and zinc treatment on the performance of hybrid rice, a field experiment was carried out between November 2019 and May 2020 at the Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University's experimental field in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka-1207. The experiment consisted of two factors as variety (3 types) viz., V1 – BRRI hybrid dhan2, V2 – BRRI hybrid dhan3 and V3 – BRRI hybrid dhan5 and, Zinc management (4 levels) viz., Zn0 – 0 kg ha-1 (control), Zn1 – 2 kg ha-1, Zn2 – 4 kg ha-1 and Zn3 – 6 kg ha-1. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (Factorial) with three replications. Data on different growth and yield parameter of rice were recorded and significant variation was found for different treatments. Regarding varietal performance, the maximum panicle number hill-1 (17.10), panicle length (28.03 cm), grain number panicle-1 (109.45), 1000-grain weight (26.50 g), grain yield ha-1 (6.94 t), straw yield ha-1 (8.58 t), biological yield ha-1 (15.51 t) and harvest index (44.62%) were found from the variety BRRI hybrid dhan5. Considering Zn effect, the maximum panicle number hill-1 (16.33), panicle length (27.14 cm), grain number panicle-1 (108.11), 1000-grain weight (25.38 g), grain yield ha-1 (6.81 t), straw yield ha-1 (8.34 t), biological yield ha-1 (15.15 t) and harvest index (44.88%) were found from 6 kg Zn ha-1. In the case of treatment combination of variety and zinc, the maximum panicle number hill-1 (20.17), panicle length (29.45 cm), number of grains panicle-1 (117.74), 1000-seed weight (27.43 g), grain yield (7.80 t ha-1), straw yield (9.20 t ha-1), biological yield (17.00 t ha-1) and harvest index (45.78%) were found from BRRI hybrid dhan5 along with 6 kg Zn ha-1. Therefore, the hybrid rice variety BRRI hybrid dhan5 with a Zn application of 6 kg ha-1 yielded considerably more grain than the other treatment combinations under evaluation.

Balancing optimization for disassembly line of mixed homogeneous products with hybrid disassembly mode

This study addresses the actual disassembly situation where homogeneous products with similar structures are usually mixed on one disassembly line for disassembly. And the destructive disassembly mode is added to the disassembly process to better match the actual disassembly situation. A mixed integer programming model is established to optimize the disassembly line of mixed homogeneous products with hybrid disassembly mode. The model focuses on the objectives of optimizing the number of workstations, smoothness index, energy consumption, and profit. The disassembly mode is guided by the objective results to execute the final decision to better adapt to real-world disassembly situations. Combining problem characteristics and objective attributes, this study presents an improve discrete flower pollination algorithm. The performance of the proposed algorithm in solving different scale cases is verified by comparing the results of six algorithms for 10-task example, nine algorithms for 25-task example, and four algorithms for 52-task example in the existing literature. In addition, the proposed model and algorithm are applied to a practical refrigerator case. The obtained results are compared with the results of several classical algorithms for solving this case, which further verifies that the proposed algorithm has better performance in solving the practical problem. And the workstation time utilization rate of all schemes is over 98.68%. Finally, the specific allocation of the obtained schemes can provide valuable references for decision-makers.

NFL fandom and unhealthy eating behavior: Exploring the role of introspective focus from a functionalist perspective of emotions

ABSTRACT We examine the effects of team identification on unhealthy eating behavior. Leveraging the functionalist perspective of emotions, we also examine how an introspective focus on particular affective states impacts this phenomenon. The results of two online studies (one cross-sectional survey, one experiment) indicate fans display emotional eating, implicit preferences toward high-calorie, indulgent foods, and higher body mass index (BMI) numbers when they identify highly with a sport team. Further, fans’ introspective focuses on anger and happiness (vs. hope) lead team identification to have a more positive (vs. more negative) relationship with indulgent food consumption. We contribute to the literature by highlighting how sport fans’ goal-directed food consumption is driven by their affective states. After presenting findings, we unpack implications of this project for population health and promotional practices for policy-makers and managers.

Cooking Fuel Choice and Wellbeing: A Global Perspective

This paper assesses the relationship between the proportion of the population with primary reliance on different types of fuels for cooking (national averages) and a number of key wellbeing indices. The study uses a data set created from a combination of the Gallup World Poll database and the World Health Organisation (WHO) Household Energy Database. The Gallup database comprises multinational survey data and contains wellbeing indices (Personal Health, Social Life, Civic Engagement, Life Evaluation, Negative Experience, etc.). The WHO database gives the proportion of a population with primary reliance on different types of cooking fuels. In order to understand the relative importance of the choice of cooking fuels in terms of wellbeing, regression modelling is used to control for the effects of demographic variables (income per capita, age, education level, employment, etc.), available in the Gallup database, on the wellbeing indices. The regression analysis results show that clean cooking fuels are strongly influential in health-related indices. By adding access to electricity as an additional predictor variable, the analysis highlights the potential for integrating eCooking into national electrification plans as part of sustainable energy transitions, given that health outcomes appear to be as closely linked to the choice of cooking fuels as to access to electricity.

Analysis of entomological indicators and distribution of &lt;i&gt;Aedes aegypti&lt;/i&gt; larvae in dengue endemic areas

Background. The cause of dengue fevers endemicity is vector larvae density, with Aedes aegypti as the prime vector. Bandung municipality is a high dengue fever endemic area. Hence, studying the habitat characteristics of the Aedes mosquito is essential to controlling the populations of mosquitos.&#x0D; Purpose. This study aimed to identify the aedes larvae breeding sites and the relationship between the breeding risk index, hygiene risk index, maya index, and the existence of larvae with the incidence of dengue fever.&#x0D; Method. The design used in this research was a cross-sectional survey. The sampling technique used simple random sampling. The quantity of the sample was 544 directly observed houses.&#x0D; Results. The entomological parameters obtained were house index (23.89%), container index (7.81%), Breteau index (50.73%), and larva free number (76.10%). The breeding risk index, hygiene risk index, and maya index are in the low category. The chi-square test conveyed that the breeding risk index, maya index, and the existence of larvae were significantly associated with the incidence of dengue fever.&#x0D; Conclusion. The entomological index may influence the high incidence of dengue fever. These findings and results may help the authorities to improve mosquito nest eradication in attempts to prevent dengue transmission.

Mitochondrial disease in New Zealand: a nationwide prevalence study.

The complexities of mitochondrial disease make epidemiological studies challenging, yet this information is important in understanding the healthcare burden and addressing service and educational needs. Existing studies are limited to quaternary centres or focus on a single genotype or phenotype and estimate disease prevalence at 12.5 per 100 000. New Zealand's (NZ) size and partially integrated national healthcare system make it amenable to a nationwide prevalence study. To estimate the prevalence of molecularly confirmed and suspected mitochondrial disease on 31 December 2015 in NZ. Cases were identified from subspecialists and laboratory databases and through interrogation of the Ministry of Health National Minimum Dataset with a focus on presentations between 2000 and 2015. Patient records were reviewed, and those with a diagnosis of 'mitochondrial disease' who were alive and residing in NZ on the prevalence date were included. These were divided into molecularly confirmed and clinically suspected cases. Official NZ estimated resident population data were used to calculate prevalence. Seven hundred twenty-three unique national health index numbers were identified. Five hundred five were excluded. The minimum combined prevalence for mitochondrial disease was 4.7 per 100 000 (95% confidence interval (CI): 4.1-5.4). The minimum prevalence for molecularly confirmed and suspected disease was 2.9 (95% CI 2.4-3.4) and 1.8 (95% CI 1.4-2.2) cases per 100 000 respectively. Within the limitations of this study, comparison to similar prevalence studies performed by specialist referral centres suggests mitochondrial disease is underdiagnosed in NZ. This highlights a need for improved education and referral pathways for mitochondrial disease in NZ.

Image compression based on vector quantization and optimized code-book design using Genetic Mating Influenced Slime Mould (GMISM) algorithm

Large amounts of storage are required to store the recent massive influx of fresh photographs that are uploaded to the internet. Many analysts created expert image compression techniques during the preceding decades to increase compression rates and visual quality. In this research work, a unique image compression technique is established for Vector Quantization (VQ) with the K-means Linde–Buzo–Gary (KLBG) model. As a contribution, the codebooks are optimized with the aid of hybrid optimization algorithm. The projected KLBG model included three major phases: an encoder for image compression, a channel for transitions of the compressed image, and a decoder for image reconstruction. In the encoder section, the image vector creation, optimal codebook generation, and indexing mechanism are carried out. The input image enters the encoder stage, wherein it’s split into immediate and non-overlapping blocks. The proposed GMISM model hybridizes the concepts of the Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Slime Mould Optimization (SMO), respectively. Once, the optimal codebook is generated successfully, the indexing of the every vector with index number from index table takes place. These index numbers are sent through the channel to the receiver. The index table, optimal codebook and reconstructed picture are all included in the decoder portion. The received index table decodes the received indexed numbers. The optimally produced codebook at the receiver is identical to the codebook at the transmitter. The matching code words are allocated to the received index numbers, and the code words are organized so that the reconstructed picture is the same size as the input image. Eventually, a comparative assessment is performed to evaluate the proposed model. Especially, the computation time of the proposed model is 69.11%, 27.64%, 62.07%, 87.67%, 35.73%, 62.35%, and 14.11% better than the extant CSA, BFU-ROA, PSO, ROA, LA, SMO, and GA algorithms, respectively.

Mapping research trends of transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma from 2012 to 2021: A bibliometric analysis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a therapy where drugs aimed to slow or halt tumor development are injected into the artery supplying for HCC tissues. A comprehensive analysis of all the articles on TACE for HCC can give us a general understanding of the progress in this field and provide guidance for future research. To analyze and visualize scientific results and research trends in TACE treatment for HCC. The "Web of Science" database was used to identify articles regarding TACE for the treatment of HCC from 2012 to 2021. VOSviewer and CiteSpace were used to analyze the publications trends, collaboration between countries/insti-tutions/authors, and the co-occurrence of keywords, keyword bursts, and references. A total of 5728 original articles on TACE for HCC were retrieved. Regarding the volume of publications, the total number of yearly publications showed a generally increasing trend. China had the highest number of articles, while the United States achieved the highest Hirsch index and highest number of citations. The Sun Yat-sen University in China was most prolific institution. The most active author was Park, J.W from South Korea. The Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (234 articles) was the most productive journal. There is a growing trend toward international collaboration in TACE for HCC. Cluster networks of co-cited references suggested that practice guidelines and targeted therapies are an essential theme in this field. In addition, cluster analysis based on keyword co-occurrence identified the research topic "prediction of TACE treatment" as a hotspot, and propensity score matching can be used to help investigators conduct innovative studies in the future. The results of our bibliometric analysis provide the latest trends and hot topics in TACE therapy for HCC.

A nomogram based on clinical characteristics and nutritional indicators for relative and absolute weight loss during radiotherapy in initially inoperable patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

ObjectiveRadiation for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma often is accompanied by radiation esophagitis, which interferes with oral intake. We aimed to develop a nomogram model to identify initially inoperable patients with relative and absolute weight loss who need prophylactic nutritional supplementation. MethodsA total of 365 initially inoperable patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma receiving radiotherapy between January 2018 and December 2022 were included in the study, which was divided into discovery and validation cohorts. Receiver operating characteristic and Kaplan-Meier curve analyses were performed to compare the areas under the curve and survival benefits. ResultsA total of 42.2% (154 of 365) of the patients had been diagnosed with cancer cachexia. The malnourished group had a higher interruption rate of radiotherapy and number of complication diseases (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, patients with malnutrition had lower lymphocytes and prognostic nutritional index (P < 0.05). The combined index showed a higher area under the curve value (0.67; P < 0.001) than number of complication diseases (area under the curve = 0.52) and prognostic nutritional index (area under the curve = 0.49) for relative weight loss (≥ 5%). Similarly, the combined index had a higher area under the curve value (0.79; P < 0.001) than number of complication diseases (area under the curve = 0.56), treatment regimens (area under the curve = 0.56), subcutaneous fat thickness (area under the curve = 0.60), pretreatment body weight (area under the curve = 0.61), neutrophils (area under the curve = 0.56), and prognostic nutritional index (area under the curve = 0.50) for absolute weight loss (≥ 5 kg). Absolute and relative weight loss remained independent prognostic factors, with short overall survival rates compared with the normal group (P < 0.05). Patients with high nomogram scores supported by nutritional intervention had less weight loss, better nutrition scores, and increased plasma CD8+ T cells, and interferon gamma. ConclusionsWe developed a nomogram model that was intended to estimate relative and absolute weight loss in initially inoperable patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma during radiotherapy, which might help facilitate an objective decision on prophylactic nutritional supplementation.

Effect of various doses of cowdung and nitrogen on the yield performance of mustard in coastal area of Bangladesh (Brassica sp.)

The experiment was conducted at the agriculture field laboratory of Noakhali Science and Technology University during the period from October 2021 to January 2022 to observe the effect of various doses of cowdung and nitrogen on the performance of mustard. The experiment comprised of two factors viz: cowdung and nitrogen. One organic fertilizer like different level of cowdung-control 0 t ha-1 (C0), 15 t ha-1 (C1), 30 t ha-1 (C2), 45 t ha-1 (C3) and another inorganic fertilizer nitrogen - control 0 kg ha-1 (N0), 100 kg ha-1 (N1), 200 kg ha-1 (N2), 300 Kg ha-1 (N3). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RBCD) with three replications. Application of different doses of cowdung and nitrogen significantly influenced the Plant height (cm), branches plant-1 (no.), effective siliqua plant-1 (no.), seeds siliqua-1 (no.), 1000-seed weight (g), seed yield (t ha-1), stover yield (t ha-1), biological yield (t ha-1) and harvest index (%) of mustard. The maximum plant height, number of branches plant-1, number of effective siliqua plant-1, siliqua length, number of seeds siliqua-1, 1000-seed weight, seed yield, stover yield, biological yield and harvest index was obtained with the application of 45 t ha-1 cowdung (C3). On the other hand, with the application of 300 kg ha-1 N the maximum plant height, number of branches plant-1, number of effective siliqua plant-1, siliqua length, number of seeds siliqua, 1000-seed weight, seed yield, stover yield, biological yield was found except the harvest index. In case of the interaction effect of treatment, the highest seed yield (1.77 t ha-1) was obtained from the treatment combination of C3N3 (45 t ha-1 cowdung + 300 kg ha-1 N) and the lowest seed yield (0.93 t ha-1) was found from the control (C0N0) treatment. Res. Agric. Livest. Fish. Vol. 10, No. 2, August 2023: 109-122